Rules of Chinese Herbal Intervention of Radiation Pneumonia Based on Network Pharmacology and Data Mining

Screening study on significant Chinese herb for anti-idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis by combining clinical experience prescriptions and molecular dynamics simulation technologies

Various techniques such as data mining, network pharmacology, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation were used in this study to screen and validate effective herbal medicines for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and to reveal their mechanisms of action at the molecular level. The use of this approach will provide new tools and ideas for future drug screening, especially for the application of herbal medicines in the treatment of complex diseases. Among them, the five identified core targets, including IL6, TP53, AKT1, VEGFA, and TNF, as well as a series of major active compounds, will be important references for future anti-IPF drug development. This information will accelerate the discovery and development of relevant drugs. Meanwhile, this study further confirmed the potential value of four Chinese herbal medicines, including Gancao, Danshen, Huangqin, and Sanqi, in the treatment of IPF. This will promote more clinical trials and practices to confirm and optimise the application of these herbs. Finally, this study is an important theoretical guide to enhance the advantages of Chinese herbal medicines in the prevention and treatment of major and difficult diseases, as well as to understand and utilise the potential efficacy of Chinese herbal medicines. This will further promote the scientific research and clinical application of herbal medicines and provide more possibilities for future disease treatmentCommunicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Hydrogen-rich solution alleviates acute radiation pneumonitis by regulating oxidative stress and macrophages polarization

This study was aimed to investigate the effect of hydrogen-rich solution (HRS) on acute radiation pneumonitis (ARP) in rats. The ARP model was induced by X-ray irradiation. Histopathological changes were assessed using HE and Masson stains. Inflammatory cytokines were detected by ELISA. Immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry were performed to quantify macrophage (CD68) levels and the M2/M1 ratio. Western blot analysis, RT-qPCR, ELISA and flow cytometry were used to evaluate mitochondrial oxidative stress injury indicators. Immunofluorescence double staining was performed to colocalize CD68/LC3B and p-AMPK-α/CD68. The relative expression of proteins associated with autophagy activation and the adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase/mammalian target of rapamycin/Unc-51-like kinase 1 (AMPK/mTOR/ULK1) signaling pathway were detected by western blotting. ARP decreased body weight, increased the lung coefficient, collagen deposition and macrophage infiltration and promoted M1 polarization in rats. After HRS treatment, pathological damage was alleviated, and M1 polarization was inhibited. Furthermore, HRS treatment reversed the ARP-induced high levels of mitochondrial oxidative stress injury and autophagy inhibition. Importantly, the phosphorylation of AMPK-α was inhibited, the phosphorylation of mTOR and ULK1 was activated in ARP rats and this effect was reversed by HRS treatment. HRS inhibited M1 polarization and alleviated oxidative stress to activate autophagy in ARP rats by regulating the AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 signaling pathway.

Discovery of potential quality markers of Fritillariae thunbergii bulbus in pneumonia by combining UPLC-QTOF-MS, network pharmacology, and molecular docking

Fritillariae thunbergii bulbus (FTB) is a popular Chinese herbal medicine with various applications in respiratory diseases. The quality evaluation of FTB has been insufficient to date, as the active ingredients and mechanisms of action of FTB remain unclear. This study proposes a novel strategy for exploring the quality markers (Q-markers) of FTB based on UPLC-QTOF-MS analysis, network pharmacology, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. A total of 26 compounds in FTB were identified by UPLC-QTOF-MS. Ten of these compounds were screened as Q-markers based on network pharmacology for their anti-pneumonia effects, including imperialine, peimisine, peiminine, ebeiedinone, zhebeirine, puqiedine, 9-hydroxy-10,12-octadecadienoic acid, (9Z,12Z,15Z)-13-hydroxy-9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid, 9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid, and (2E,4Z,7Z,10Z,13Z,16Z,19Z)-2,4,7,10,13,16,19-docosaheptaenoic acid methyl ester (DAME). These Q-markers were predicted to act on multiple targets and pathways associated with pneumonia. Molecular docking results revealed that most of the Q-markers showed high affinity with at least one of the main targets of pneumonia, and the top ten complexes were confirmed with MD simulation. Network pharmacology indicated that FTB may act on the TNF signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway, JAK-STAT signaling pathway, etc. The results demonstrated that imperialine (P8), peimisine (P9), peiminine (P11), ebeiedine (P15), zhebeirine (P16), and puqiedine (P18) may be potential Q-markers of FTB, and AKT1, IL-6, VEGFA, TP53, EGFR, STAT3, PPARG, MMP9, and CASP3 may be promising therapeutic targets for pneumonia treatment that are worthy of further research.

A systematic study on the treatment of hepatitis B-related hepatocellular carcinoma with drugs based on bioinformatics and key target reverse network pharmacology and experimental verification

BACKGROUND

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the major etiology of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the mechanism of hepatitis B-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HBV-related HCC) is still unclear. Therefore, understanding the pathogenesis and searching for drugs to treat HBV-related HCC was an effective strategy to treat this disease.

PURPOSE

Bioinformatics was used to predict the potential targets of HBV-related HCC. The reverse network pharmacology of key targets was used to analyze the clinical drugs, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and small molecules of TCM in the treatment of HBV-related HCC.

METHODS

In this study, three microarray datasets totally containing 330 tumoral samples and 297 normal samples were selected from the GEO database. These microarray datasets were used to screen DEGs. And the expression profile and survival of 6 key genes were analyzed. In addition, Comparative Toxicogenomics Database and Coremine Medical database were used to enrich clinical drugs and TCM of HBV-related HCC by the 6 key targets. Then the obtained TCM were classified based on the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Among these top 6 key genes, CDK1 and CCNB1 had the most connection nodes and the highest degree and were the most significantly expressed. In general, CDK1 and CCNB1 tend to form a complex, which is conducive to cell mitosis. Hence, this study mainly studied CDK1 and CCNB1. HERB database was used to predict small molecules TCM. The inhibition effect of quercetin, celastrol and cantharidin on HepG2.2.15 cells and Hep3B cells was verified by CCK8 experiment. The effects of quercetin, celastrol and cantharidin on CDK1 and CCNB1 of HepG2.2.15 cells and Hep3B cells were determined by Western Blot.

RESULTS

In short, 272 DEGs (53 upregulated and 219 downregulated) were identified. Among these DEGs, 6 key genes with high degree were identified, which were AURKA, BIRC5, CCNB1, CDK1, CDKN3 and TYMS. Kaplan-Meier plotter analysis showed that higher expression levels of AURKA, BIRC5, CCNB1, CDK1, CDKN3 and TYMS were associated with poor OS. According to the first 6 key targets, a variety of drugs and TCM were identified. These results showed that clinical drugs included targeted drugs, such as sorafenib, palbociclib and Dasatinib. and chemotherapy drugs, such as cisplatin and doxorubicin. TCM, such as the TCM flavor was mainly warm and bitter, and the main meridians were liver and lung. Small molecules of TCM included flavonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids and glycosides, such as quercetin, celastrol, cantharidin, hesperidin, silymarin, casticin, berberine and ursolic acid, which have great potential in anti-HBV-related HCC. For molecular docking of chemical components, the molecules with higher scores were flavonoids, alkaloids, etc. Three representative types of TCM small molecules were verified respectively, and it was found that quercetin, celastrol and cantharidin inhibited the proliferation of HepG2.2.15 cells and Hep3B cells along concentration gradient. Quercetin, celastrol and cantharidin decreased CDK1 expression in HepG2.2.15 and Hep3B cells, but for CCNB1, only cantharidin decreased CCNB1 expression in the two strains of cells.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, AURKA, BIRC5, CCNB1, CDK1, CDKN3 and TYMS could be potential targets for the diagnosis and prognosis of HBV-related HCC. Clinical drugs include chemotherapeutic and targeted drug, traditional Chinese medicine is mainly bitter and warm TCM. Small molecular of TCM including flavonoids, terpenoids and glycosides and alkaloids, which have great potential in anti-HBV-related HCC. This study provides potential therapeutic targets and novel strategies for the treatment of HBV-related HCC.

Insights into the Anti-inflammatory and Antiviral Mechanisms of Resveratrol

Resveratrol is a naturally occurring stilbene phytoalexin phenolic compound, which has been extensively studied on its biological activity. It has been widely accepted that resveratrol possesses anti-inflammatory and antiviral activities. In this review, we summarize the anti-inflammatory dosages and mechanism and antiviral mechanism of resveratrol. Since viral infections are often accompanied by inflammation, we propose that the NF-κB signaling pathway is a key and common molecular mechanism of resveratrol to exert anti-inflammatory and antiviral effects. For future studies, we believe that resveratrol's anti-inflammatory and antiviral mechanisms can consider the upstream signaling molecules of the NF-κB signaling pathway. For resveratrol antivirus, future studies can be conducted on the interaction of resveratrol with key proteins or important enzymes of the virus. In addition, we also think that the clinical application of resveratrol is very important. In short, resveratrol is a promising anti-inflammatory and antiviral drug, and research on it needs to be expanded.

A systematic study of traditional Chinese medicine treating hepatitis B virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma based on target-driven reverse network pharmacology

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a serious global health problem, and hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains the leading cause of HCC. It is standard care to administer antiviral treatment for HBV-related HCC patients with concurrent anti-cancer therapy. However, a drug with repressive effects on both HBV infection and HCC has not been discovered yet. In addition, drug resistance and side effects have made existing therapeutic regimens suboptimal. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has multi-ingredient and multi-target advantages in dealing with multifactorial HBV infection and HCC. TCM has long been served as a valuable source and inspiration for discovering new drugs. In present study, a target-driven reverse network pharmacology was applied for the first time to systematically study the therapeutic potential of TCM in treating HBV-related HCC. Firstly, 47 shared targets between HBV and HCC were screened as HBV-related HCC targets. Next, starting from 47 targets, the relevant chemical components and herbs were matched. A network containing 47 targets, 913 chemical components and 469 herbs was established. Then, the validated results showed that almost 80% of the herbs listed in chronic hepatitis B guidelines and primary liver cancer guidelines were included in the 469 herbs. Furthermore, functional analysis was conducted to understand the biological processes and pathways regulated by these 47 targets. The docking results indicated that the top 50 chemical components bound well to targets. Finally, the frequency statistical analysis results showed the 469 herbs against HBV-related HCC were mainly warm in property, bitter in taste, and distributed to the liver meridians. Taken together, a small library of 913 chemical components and 469 herbs against HBV-related HCC were obtained with a target-driven approach, thus paving the way for the development of therapeutic modalities to treat HBV-related HCC.